Organic molecules found on alien world for first time - space - 11 February 2008 - New Scientist Space by Shannon at 12:30 pm EST, Feb 13, 2008

Organic molecules – in the form of methane – have been detected on a planet outside our solar system for the first time. The giant planet lies too close to its parent star for the methane to signal life, but the detection offers hope that astronomers will one day be able to analyse the atmospheres of Earth-like worlds.

RE: Organic molecules found on alien world for first time - space - 11 February 2008 - New Scientist Space by Stefanie at 1:08 pm EST, Feb 14, 2008

"Initially, that is surprising," says Sara Seager of MIT in Cambridge, US, who was not involved in the study. Because HD 189733b orbits very close to its parent star – just 10% of Mercury's distance from the Sun, it is very hot, with atmospheric temperatures of about 700° Celsius. "When the temperature is this high, the dominant form of carbon should be carbon monoxide, not methane," says Seager.